Grain-door for cars.



N0. 895,556. PATENTBD AUG. l1, 1908. J. J. HAHN.

GRAIN DOOR POR GARS.

APPLIQATIUN FILED 001119, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

5. J. HAHN.

GRAIN DUUR FOR CARS. APPLIGATION PILD 0013.19, 1907.

PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2A No. 395,556. PATENTBD AUG. 11, 1908.

I. J. HAHN.

GRAIN DOOR POR GARS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.19, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

....... @Nmvll aa do UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN 3. HAHN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK L. COFIELD,

. OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

GRAIN-Doon Foa cans.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

Application led October 19, 1907. Serial No. 398,193.

vDoors for Cars; and I doi hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others'to make and use the same, reference being had to the accom anying drawings, forming a part of this speci cation.

To fulfil the demands for an efficient grain door for railroad cars, non-destructibility is one prerequisite. The door when closed must also be high enough to permit the banking of the grain upon either side of the car, afterward the grain seeks its own level. These doors should constitute a fixture with the car and open sufficiently at the bottom to discharge a partial amount of the grain, and be made capable ol folding back u on the 7 inner side ofthe car so as to be entire y out of side wall of the car a( the way, thereby permitting freight of various kinds to betransported inthe ear after the 'removal of the grain, without coming into contact with the door.

The above prerequisites constitute the principal objects of my invention.

The invention consists in 'the novel construction and combination of arts, such as will be first fully described an( then specific-i ally pointed out in the claims.

Inthe drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are views of portions of the Vouter and inner side of the side walls of a car, adjacent to the opening for the door, showing views of the im proved grain door from the outside of the car and also from the inside of the car, respectively, the sections of the grain door being in a closed position. Fi 3 is a View of portions of the inner side wa l of the car, adjacent to the door opening, showing the sections of the main door folded against the side of the car when not in use, and the upper auxiliary section of the door secured in an elevated position. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken upon the line zc, zr, on Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of ortions of the outer ljacent to the door o ening, broken away above the sections of t e main and auxiliary doors, the latter being shown interlocking with main section,

the lowest in position of these sections of the the grain adjacent thereto. Fig. is an enlarged View in detail ofone of the door Supporting rods or pintle posts, showing portions of the upper and lower folding sections of the door, and the telescopic hinges. Fig. 7 is a detail enlarged view in pers ective of one of the latches on the sections o the folding doors. Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional View of the lower section of the door in a closed position. Fig. 9 is a detail view in perspective of the door bolt. Fig. 1() is a det-ail view in erspective of a broken portion of the auxiliary section of door, showing the sliding connections.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawings, 12 indicates portions of the vertical outer side wall to the ody of a car adjacent to ,the door opening, and 13 indicates the door opening.

14 indicates the vertical inner side wall of the body of the car, adjacent to the door opening 13.

15 indicates the upright door posts or jambs u on each side of the door opening.

17 inf icates the roof supporting beam extending over the door opening 13, and in the longitudinal direction o the car, and secured to the upper ends of the door posts or jalnbs, 15.

1S indicates the longitudinal iloor supporting beam to the body of the car, extending beneath the door opening, and lf) indicates the floor.

2() indicates the roof of the car.

In the door jambs or osts, 15, toward the inner side of the car an opposite in position to each other, are recesses, 21, extending from the line of the floor, 19, upwardly to the beam 17. In these recesses are arranged in a vertical position, the supporting pintle posts or rods, 22, for supporting the main grain doors. These rods are stepped at their lower ends in the openings 23 in the floor. The circumference of the rods at their lower ends is Vof considerable size. At a height above the floor, 19, in excess of one-third thc distance toward their upper ends or at the shoulders, 22X, these rods are reduced in circumference, as at 22". The reduced up er end of the portions 22 are inserted wit iin the openings 25, in the plates 26, which plates are secured 'fixcdly to the under side of the roof. supporting beam, 18, the .openings 25 being slightly larger in circumference than the said portions 22o of the rods. Upon the Hoor 19 of the car, between the door jainbs 15 and with its inner longitudinal surface in line with the outer side of recesses 21, in posts 15, is secured a fiat bar 27.

The grain door is made in se arate parts, and consists of the lower hinge sections 28, and the upper hinged sections 29, these sectional parts of the door being hinged to the vertical rods 22 upon opposite sides of the door opening, and the outer portions of the sections of the door overlapping a shortdistance, as seen in horizontal sections in Fig. 8. The sectional parts of the door are made preferably froin nietal plate, and. consequently will sustain the greatest aiiiount of rou Vli usage. This usage is however avoided in t 1e necessary steps taken to open the sectional parts of the door, and release the grain and fold theiii as hereinafter described. The hinge socket plates 30, to the lower contiguous sections 28, oi the door, are formed from the inner vertical portions of the plates coinposing said sections of the door, which portions are bent from the direction of the inner side of the posts or rods, 22, and extended between the said rods and the door jainbs 15, thence extended in a curved line, concentric with the surfaces of the said sections of the door, thereby leaving slots, 29, which are of sufficient width to permit the entrance of the plates forming the upper sections 29 of the door, the sections 28 extending in height from the Hoor, 19, in the rear of the horizontal bar 2.7, to a osition horizontally in line with the shoul ers 22X of the rods or posts 22. The hinge socket plates, 31, to the upper sections 29 of the door are formed in the same manner as the hinges, 3U, to the sections 29, the inner ends of the plates forininpr the socket plates being extended loosely around the reduced portions 22 of the rods or posts 22, and closely to the outer surfaces of the plates forming said sections 29, the outer circumference of the socket plate 31 being less than the inner circumference ol' the socket plate 30, so as to readily slide within, telescopicnlly, the latter socket, the lower end of the socket 31 normally resting on the shoulders 22 i of the rods or posts 22, portions of the said lower ends of the hinges icing cut away at 31' (see Fig. 2) to perniit the lower portions of the section or plate 29 to extend downwardly or overlap upon the inner side of the upper portions of the lower section, 2S, of the door.

lii order to give rigidity to the sections 2S and 29 of the grain door, short portions 28 and 29 of thc grain door upon one supporting rod or post, 22, are. bent outwardly at right angles to form ribs, 32. The lower portion of the rib on the section 28 of the door is cut away at 33 the height ofthe bar 27 and upon ont` of the sections 29, the distance which the said doors overlap on the section 2S. The

'outer ends of the sectional parts 28 and 29 of the door mounted on the other vertical post or rod 22, are curved in a slight degree iiiwardly, so as to form a close bearin f upon the inner surfaces of the sections having the ribs 32, as seen in Fig. 8. Upon the outer surfaces of th'e section 28 of the door, are secured the horizontal angle plates 34, in vertical series, spaced apart at equal distances from each other and the respective ii' per and loi-ver portions of the sections of the i oor. Upon the u per section, 297 of the door, a. single angle liar, 35, is placed on each section at a point a short distance dowi'iwardly from the upper portion of the said section, and in line horizontally with each other.

36 indicates latches on the outei.' side of the upper and lower sections 29 and 29 ot the door and coin rising ilat plates which are provided with ugs, 37, at one end pivotally connected at 38X with the portions of the angle plate 34 upon the sectional parts 28 and 29 of the door', connected with one of the rods or posts 22, upon one side of the door opening. The outer ends of the latches are provided with downwardly extended por tions, 36X, which engage with slots, 39, in the outwardly extended portions ol' the angle plates, 34 and 35, upon other sectional parts, of the hinges to the rod or post on the flier side of the door opening 13, the latches passing theibs 32 and 33 when the sections ol' the door are secured in position. Vln order to strengthen the' rivet 38x, a flat lug, 39, is se curedY to the under side oi' cach latch, directly beneath the lug 37, and in the outwardly extended oitions of the angle bars are slots, 40, iii Whic i the lugs enter when the sectional parts of the door are latched. Upon the outer sides of the lowersectional arts 2S ol the door are sliding bolts, 41.` bese bolts are located near thc inner end and above the lowest angle bar, 34, on the lower section of the door, and the bolt casing is slotted at 42 iii the upper side of the casing for the passage of the handle 43, so that thc handle inust be raised upwardly to release the bolt, the bolts serving to keep the lower sections of the door from being raised accidentally and engage with the openings or k'eepers, 14, in the door janibs 15.

The auxiliary section, 45, of the door serves two iirposes, one of which is to close, the s ace o door o eniiig, 13, above the sectiona parts 29 of t ie door as iniich as necessary to erinit the bankingr of the grain upon either side of the car, and also to add to the upper sectional parts of the door more resist-Y ance to the outward ressiire of the grain, This section 45 is pre erably composed oi' a single plate, and extends horizontally from the inner side of one rod or post, 22, upon one side of the door opening, 13, to the inner side of post 22, upon the other side ot said lll" seance opening the ends, 46, of the plate bein curved in the arc of a circle so as to exten part way in the direction of the circumference o the upper portions 22 of the posts 22. This door is strenvthened by a longitudinal angle bar, ellhe lower ortions of the section 45 extend downwarr ly upon the inner side of' the upper portion of the section 29 of the door a short distance, and from said ortions extend outward] the clips, 47, wch clips are extended .ownwardly on the upper portions of the outer su rfaces of the sectiona short distance, and interlock with the said er section 29, these clips being narrow in th and integral with the plates forming the section 45. The section 45 of the door extends upwardly to within a short distance of tht` beam, 17, at the upper end of the door opening, t3, and a longitudinal portion extending from the. curved ortlon, 46, of the section or plate to the ot er port-ion, 46, is bent inwardly to form a socket, 48, the curved ends of the plate being cut away a short distance below the inner lines of the tube. From the ends of the socket extend upwardly the plates or leaves, 50, which form hangers to the section 45 of the door,

their outer ends being curved forwardly in a' slight degree. In the ends of socket 48 are inserted the inner ends of separate rods, 51, upon the outer ends of which rods are collars, 52, which lit loosely the portion 22 of the rods or pintle posts 22. Connected rigidly with the lower surface of the beam 17, at the upper end of the door opening 13, are rectangular shaped loops, 53, located near the door jambs l5, and in the direction ofthe inner side of the car.

In the lower portion of the section 45 of the door, at a oint equi-distant from its ends, is an opening, 54, short in length (see Fig. l). Upon the roof 20 of the car, is a block, 55, upon which are se arate outwardly inclined springs plates, 56, or retaining the section 45 of tlie door, the lower ends of which plates extend downwardly a short distance and the lower portions are bent outwardly to form shoulders, 5?, from which shoulders the remaining portions extend downwardly and inwardly, the block bein located in a position above the lower end o the section 45 when elevated.

When it is desired to remove the grain from a car equipped with the invention, the sections of the door bein in u closed position as seen in Figs. l and 2, tte bolts 4l are withdrawn from the openings 44 in the door jambs and the latches 36, upon the lower sections, 28, of door are released from their keepers 38 and turned upon their pivots in a reverse position, as seen in Fics. 3 and 5. A lever is then applied to the lugs 60. on the outer portions o the section 28, and the said secparts, 29, of the door a tions of the door raised upon their hinges a i hei ht slightly above that of the bar 27, and ringer the pressure of the grain, the lower sections, 28, open outward y and take the position as seen in Fig. 5. The amount oi grain adjacent to the sections of the door which is discharged permits these sections of the door to be replaced in position in rear of the bar 27. The section 45 of the door is than moved directly upwardly to a position in which the hangers, 50, are opposite the loops 53. The lower end of the: oor is then raised in a horizontal position, the hanger engaging with the loops and the lower ends of the retaining Springs, 56, entering the opening 54 in the section 45, and is retained ,byl the shoulders 57 in an elevated position.

e latch 36, on the upper sections, :29 of the door is then released and the lower sections, 28, raised upwardly, their upper portions coming into contact with the angle bars 35 on the sections 29, and both up r and lower sections of the door are raise directly upward as far as permitted in the door opening, and above the grain in the car, the hinges, 30, on the doors, 28, telescoping with the hinges 31, on the sections 29. The sections of the door in their elevated positions are then folded inwardly in the direction of and upon the inner side, i4, of the walls of the car, and the lower section 28 of the door placed within the hooks or keepers, 62, secured to the inner side of the wall. These operations are entirely accomplished from a position outside of the door opening, and from the necessit of securing the sections of the door in their folded positions before removing the bulk of the ain, a careful and methodical han (lling OFT the sections of the door is assured. When the cars are employed for various kinds of frei ht, the angle bars, 36, upon the doors, whic are curved at the ends, not only shield the doors, but also afford protection to the inner side of the car, the doors in the formation of the hinges fitting closely against the inner side of the car. The springs, 56 su porting the auxiliary door 45 require to be rawn together simultaneously by the hands, so that accidental release of the door is revented. The invention is aplicable to oor openings, other than for cars if referred.

aving fully described my invention, what. I now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a door having separate hinged parts, of pivot posts supporting said hinged parts, and a sliding sectional member of said door upon the pivot posts locked to said separate hinged parts.

2. The combination with thf` wall ot a cnr having a door opeuiuv upright pivot posts within said opening, u door having up )er und lower sectional arts hinged to said pivotposts, fastening l evict-s for said parts of the door with cach other, and an auxiliary sliding sectional part of the door u on said pivot posts, and devices on said auxi ary sectional Fart of the door enaging with the upper iinged sections of sai oor.

3. The combination with the vgall of a car having a door openin and with upright ivot posts within sai opening, of a door aviiig upper and lower sectional parts, socket plates mounted upon said pivot posts, connected with the separate parts of the door, one of said socket plates having a slot and adapted to permit the entrance, telescopically, of the other socket.

4. The combination with the wall of a car having a door opening and recesses in the sides of said opening, pivot posts within said recesses, a door having separate sectional parts, sliding hinged connections for the upper and lower arts of the door on said pivot posts, a shoul er on said pivot posts for supporting the hinged connections for the upper sections of the door, and an auxiliary sectional part of said door, sliding hinged connections therefor on the pivot posts and clips on the lower portions of said auxiliary Vsection of the door, overlapping the upper por- (t-ion of the separate sectionallparts of the oor.

5. The combination with the wall of a car having a door opening and with pivot posts within said openilg of a door having upper and lower section parts, a vertical sliding plate extending transversely to said door openin sliding collars on said pivot posts pivot y connected with said plate, said plate havin its end portions extending part way iiroiinc the pivot osts.

6. .In folding grain oorsfor cars, the combination with vertical rods or sts, and se arate plates composing said oors, of soc ets integral with said plates, varying in circiiinfeienee, one of which sockets is provided with a longitudinal slot, said sockets being adapted to be ext-ended Within each other telesco ically.

7. T e combination with the wall of a car having .a door opening and with pivot posts within said opening, of a grain door having separate sectional olding arts, sliding devices on said posts ada teil to be extended telescopically within eac other and connected with and supporting the separate parts of the door, and means on the wall of said car for -retaining the doors in an elevated po` sition.

JOHN J. HAHN.

Witnesses:

Hsnnv L. GREEN, NATHAN F. CARTER. 

